After having busted out around 50 shows with the TC Bass rig I feel confident in passing on an informed opinion of the unit.
The Rig I have been using is the RH450 along with a 210 and 212 box. I have been using the rig on Rock, Reggae, Funk and Jazz gigs.
RH450
Great looking head with awesome feautures. The first thing that struck me about the unit is the carry bag of all things. Sounds like a small thing to be concerned with but I am always looking for the opportunity for one load in. The bag is designed to sit on your body leaving space to carry a speaker at the front and put your gigbag on your back. As a working musician I appreciate this design. Another added convinience is the built in tuner. It took a number of gigs before I lost my well worn in habit of rummaging through nmy bag for my tuner! The keyboard player in one of the funk bands I play in loves the tuner because he can see what key I’m playing in! The built in compresser gives me the punch I have been missing with some other heads. I tend the favour the compressor at a minimal setting as it becomes a little squashy cranked up (as all compressors do). I have found myself using the semi-parametric feautre of the eq more than I first thought I would, and have saved my sounds based on the type of gig I am doing. For example on the Reggae gig I press the shift knob to adjust the frequency of the bass knob, in order to obtaing earth shaking lows. I have saved my sounds depending on the gig I’m doing which means I haven’t been using the footswitch as I don’t really need to make quick changes. The tube emulation is the most convincing I have heard. I like this set at about 11 0 clock to warm up the treble response. I find that as the amp is pushed and the tube setting is high the gritiness of the tube emulation is not as convincing as the lower settings. On the lower settings it is hard to beleive there is not a tube in the amp. A discovery I rently made is that the speakon connector on the back allows you to plug a 1/4 inch jack into the middle of it. So what you may say. Well I had a gig a month or so ago where I forgot my speakon lead. No one had a spare speakon (not surprisingly). I thought I was going to have to plug in direct when I realised I could plug my jack into the socket. Tc seem to have had my laziness, forgetfullness, and quest for toe in mind when they designed this amp.
210, 212
Together these cabs sound amazing. The lows these cabs produce are unprecedented. I have also been using the cabs on their own as well. I much prefer the sound of the 212 when used alone as it produces a much better low end response than the 210, however on the jazz gig I have been taking the 210 as it is smaller and lighter. Which brings me to my only gripe. The handles on the cab are placed to high to carry the cab with one hand by your side, meaning you have to carry it with 2 hands, which means the cab sits around your waist when carrying it, and the rough surface can be quite abrasive. On the other hand I do really like the look and durablity of the slip free surface. The 212 on its own is plenty of lowend for the bass heavy reggae gig.
Overall I have been extremely impressed with the rig so far. I have been meaning to upload some clips but am busy gigging!! Incidently my bassline was picked for the musikmesse konnect tune, in which I recorded with the RH450 so maybe check this out in the meantime.
